The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations scheduled a hearing for Jan. 19 for the confirmation of Antony Blinken, President-elect Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of state. The hearing will take place one day prior to the inauguration on Jan. 20. Blinken served as the Democratic staff director for the committee from 2002 to 2008. From 2009 to 2013, he served in the Obama administration as the deputy assistant to the president and national security adviser to the vice president. The first hearing in the confirmation process usually consists of introductions from people who know the nominee, a statement from Blinken himself, and remarks from the committee members. Once the confirmation process advances to the questioning phase, Blinken is likely to face inquiries about his role with WestExec, an advisory firm he founded after his tenure in the Obama administration. WestExec recently deleted a portion of its website which advertised the company’s …